I hurt a friend's feelings and I didn't even know how. I said something that was meant to be a compliment, but it didn't go the way I planned at all. At first I wanted to justify it, after all, I intended well, but no matter how much I tried to convince myself I wasn't at fault, it didn't change the way she felt. It stayed on my mind all day, and I felt terrible until I sincerely apologized to her face (action= proof of good intention). She surprised me when she said she didn't know why it made her uncomfortable and was quick to forgive. I hope I can be as honest with myself as she is. Just because she couldn't explain it didn't mean it didn't affect her.
Reality is more than logic. We can spend our time convincing ourselves that we're doing everything right because it makes sense and is just, but that doesn't guarantee innocence. It's easy to fall under the misconception that we can make ourselves perfect, and our logic and reason are going to do it for us. we like to think that we're working our way up the ladder toward godhood, and our sense of justice is the key. It's the key alright, but not to godhood. If we were left to ourselves, none of us would make it out of Hell, thanks to justice. It's a good thing life isn't fair. The fact of the matter is: however fair we may be, however just, we can't save ourselves even a little bit. We're all at the bottom rung, no matter how awesome we think we are. All we can do is jump on the elevator by showing Christ we accept him by faith, repentance, and living the way he commands us to; by loving. He doesn't just make up the difference, He takes us the whole way! That's what the Atonement is all about: The elevating power of love. When we love, we don't care how fair things are for us, we care how others feel. We can't hold people to our own standards, to our perfect ideals if it's impossible for us to be there yet. It's alright if people are unjustly affected by you. It's ok if you aren't perfectly just yourself. Even if you see your own faults, it's important to be confident and secure as long as it doesn't lull you into idle complacency. We're taught to anxiously do good not so we can be avenged or vindicated of injustice, but because loving people like Christ loves us (lots and lots of mercy) is that elevator door. Until we are motivated by love and not justice, we can't get on.
Reality is more than logic. We can spend our time convincing ourselves that we're doing everything right because it makes sense and is just, but that doesn't guarantee innocence. It's easy to fall under the misconception that we can make ourselves perfect, and our logic and reason are going to do it for us. we like to think that we're working our way up the ladder toward godhood, and our sense of justice is the key. It's the key alright, but not to godhood. If we were left to ourselves, none of us would make it out of Hell, thanks to justice. It's a good thing life isn't fair. The fact of the matter is: however fair we may be, however just, we can't save ourselves even a little bit. We're all at the bottom rung, no matter how awesome we think we are. All we can do is jump on the elevator by showing Christ we accept him by faith, repentance, and living the way he commands us to; by loving. He doesn't just make up the difference, He takes us the whole way! That's what the Atonement is all about: The elevating power of love. When we love, we don't care how fair things are for us, we care how others feel. We can't hold people to our own standards, to our perfect ideals if it's impossible for us to be there yet. It's alright if people are unjustly affected by you. It's ok if you aren't perfectly just yourself. Even if you see your own faults, it's important to be confident and secure as long as it doesn't lull you into idle complacency. We're taught to anxiously do good not so we can be avenged or vindicated of injustice, but because loving people like Christ loves us (lots and lots of mercy) is that elevator door. Until we are motivated by love and not justice, we can't get on.
No way, Alex! You thought of the elevator analogy, too? Two summers ago I used the image of an elevator to understand and reconcile the concepts of our works with Christ's grace. You've got to have both. You won't go up if you just walk around the lobby and say that you believe the elevator is capable of taking you up (just grace). Christ's grace is always there and available for us; his arm is never shortened. We just have to accomplish the works that put us in the position to access his grace.
ReplyDeleteYou expanded this idea, that it isn't the technicality of doing works, it's also the character of the person we've become. Love opens the door. I bet that's right--without charity, everything else we've done and become is null and void.
Haha! Sweet! I love talking about this kind of stuff and bouncing ideas of people. Maybe I will start a blog. I just don't know if people would read it.
http://sabrinasdialogue.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeleteWhat the heck--I'll give it a shot. :)